Taylor Knights

We interviewed a number of architects for our large scale renovation of a 1930s house with heritage overlay. We engaged Taylor Knights after finding Peter and James to have real passion for the project, full of interesting ideas and also they just seemed like nice guys! They took the time to really understand and articulate our vision for the project and came up with some really exciting ideas to keep the beautiful old features of the house, while modernising it into a home for our young and growing family. We mainly worked with Peter and Julie, who were always available to chat and had great communication throughout the project. We found they were always respectful and collaborative in their approach to our (many) requests, and maintained a good working relationship with the builders / landscape architect. We have been thrilled with how the project has turned out - the attention to detail is incredible, there is the right mix of aesthetics and function, and the vision we initially discussed has come to life beyond what we even thought could be possible. We look back at engaging Taylor Knights as one of our best decisions - we are truly grateful for their hard work, energy, creativity and support through the process. We have absolutely no hesitation in recommending them.

We engaged Taylor Knights to update our 1940s house in Ascot Vale. From our first design and walk thru meeting with James and Peter, it was clear that we’d made the right decision to engage them. They were creative, energetic and passionate about delivering to our brief. Injecting creative and thoughtful ideas into each concept which were delivered with clear conversation and beautiful meaningful drawings. With a heritage overlay they engaged council early and ensured they had an understanding of the project, which assisted in efficient council approvals. Throughout the build James was engaged and assisted to ensure all details and questions were attended to. His knowledge of interiors and exteriors and current products and finishes is excellent. He is absolutely an expert in his craft! We are so happy with our finished home. It is now open, light, beautifully detailed, maintained heritage features, retained garden and excellent lighting choices. We and our boys are thrilled with our family home. Thanks team!

We engaged Taylor Knights, after interviewing 5 different architects, in relation to a major renovation of a double storey Victorian terrace. They stood out to us for their ability to blend the old with the new as we wanted to retain the Victorian features whilst creating a modern home that could stand the test of time. Taylor Knights also appealed to us for their demonstrated experience in bringing light into dark spaces in creative ways. They certainly helped us achieve this in what was formerly a dark Victorian terrace. Our living areas are flooded with natural light, channelled into the house from a variety of angles which helps to create an inviting and ever changing internal landscape depending on the time of day. Peter and his team were accommodating and collaborative with all our requests, nothing was ever too much. Their attention to detail and high standards to meet clients’ needs are second to none. Every single aspect of the design (no matter how small) was considered – and I really do mean everything! We had the pleasure of working directly with Peter Knights, and we feel so lucky to have been guided by his experience and creativity. We are so grateful to have had Peter and his team with us on this journey and couldn’t be more pleased with the final result. The house has met all our aesthetic dreams but is also functional, comfortable and feels like the home we had hoped to create. I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending their services.

We have enjoyed a fantastic working relationship with Taylor Knights on a number of projects now. Taylor Knights are a design focused architectural practice that create unique projects that respond to clients brief, site and budget. Dimpat have and continue to provide upfront building costs and construction recommendations. During construction we have found Taylor Knights to understand the construction process and communicate clearly, to be forward thinking and to have a great attention to detail; all of which are key attributes for a successful project. Taylor Knights have been fantastic and we see ourselves working continually with them again in the future.

We engaged Taylor Knights to design a country home at Wartook . Our 40 acres had a disused quarry with spectacular mountain views, we already had other development on the same block, over a rise. We wanted to be close to but not within sight our commercial building. Peter and James worked well with us. They listened to our brief, quickly developing an exciting and sustainable building that would fit in with our pre-existing commercial eco lodge. Their architectural experience showed in the ideas that quickly developed for innovative and creative plans. The plans reflected our interests and kept within our budget. They relished the site’s challenges and came up with landscaping ideas to link the building and site. The design had a sense of drama while being appropriately private and suited to the beautiful setting. Meetings with James, on and off site were always efficient and informative. They were flexible and communicated well, it was very positive to have them so well organised and helpful. The entire experience was delightful; we would highly recommend using Taylor Knights.

It was an absolute pleasure to work with Taylor Knights on our house renovation project. We truly feel like the outcome was a collaboration - our lived experience of the house combined with their skills and creative expertise. Despite our alarming lack of experience in architecture and building we never felt like we were asking too much and our questions and input were valued. Most importantly though, we really love our renovated house. It is more than we anticipated yet within our agreed budget. Highly recommended!

We engaged Taylor Knights to bring new life to our single fronted Brunswick townhouse. We'd spoken with several other architects in the lead up to our project, but knew we were finally onto something good after our first consultation with Peter and James. Budget was our biggest restriction, yet the guys willingly adapted to this (and council regulations) so the aesthetic nature of interesting shapes and materials could be combined with practicality. Their attention to detail, innovative ways to work space and natural light as well as passion for their craft have meant we've ended up with a home beyond what we could've imagined - so much so we can barely remember what stood here before! We'd definitely recommend Taylor Knights to anyone considering a renovation or new build.

Our experience with James and Peter from Taylor Knights was amazing and our project was a massive success turning out better than we ever could have imagined. Throughout the project they were extremely professional, creative and innovative and ensured that each step of the project went smoothly. We engaged Taylor Knights as our architect to renovate and extend our single fronted Victorian terrace with a heritage overlay in Northcote. They provided a range of services including concept and design, council/planning approval, construction documentation, tender process and contract administration. Peter and James totally transformed our small two bedroom dark house into a large light filled four bedroom home that perfectly integrates the modern extension with the original Victorian house at the front. Our house is now a beautiful home which maximises the every inch of the small block and perfectly connects the internal and external spaces. Overall we couldn't be happier with Taylor Knights and couldn't recommend them highly enough. Their creativity, attention to detail, client focused design and willingness to go the extra mile to make the project perfect was just amazing and not only did they totally transform our house and lifestyle but also added significant value to our property.

As a frequent visitor to the house during this complex rebuild I can confirm it far exceeded the owners and my expectations. What is obvious in the images here is the use of light - through skylights and angles and the fresh space created by a clever contemporary design . These are even more appreciated when living in this house. Combining traditional features with a modern twist eg the bay window, front room interior designs also works very well. This innovative design required careful project and expenditure management. Taylor Knights, the architects and interior designers as well as project managers, handled the timescales and budget constraints very well. New opportunities with using space were identified, eg converting roof space to a great home office. These were all handled with professional excellence. I would highly recommend them without reservation.

I engaged Taylor Knights as architects and interior designers for this challenging renovation and addition to my Federation home in St Kilda. They far exceeded my expectations with service and innovative design. Peter and James carefully listened to the complex brief, responding in a considered way delivering a house exceptional in design and on budget. Maximum advantage was made of the space available, even converting the existing roof space into a home office, something I hadn’t considered. By working the traditional heritage features with the contemporary an element of surprise and sophistication has been achieved throughout. I particularly love the connection with the outdoors and the use of natural light which streams through the skylights on even the dullest days. Attention to detail is evident everywhere. This is a fantastic home and I would highly recommend Taylor Knights.

We wanted to do a simple renovation that would open up the rear of the house, enlarge the master bedroom and incorporate and refresh an existing bungalow that we use as a 4th bedroom for guests. We wanted something modern but warm that would blend well with the beach location (on a sand dune, surrounded by native flora & fauna and with a creek in the back yard) and our existing 1920s home. James was extremely patient. He listened to what we wanted, figured out our tastes and worked to a budget that was quite restrictive. His initial sketches provided options for us to consider that were completely unexpected and opened our eyes to other possibilities. We decided to explore two directions. James put us in touch with a surveyor and helped us get estimates for both. Once we’d made a decision (the hardest part of the whole process!) James drew up the final plans ready for building approval. To keep costs down we decided to oversee the construction ourselves, but James was still involved and interested, and always made himself available to discuss details and his vision for the finishes with the builder or ourselves. The finished job is simply perfect. We love it and we are extremely happy in the vital role Taylor Knights played in making it possible. I strongly recommend Taylor Knights to anyone looking to build a new home or extend an existing property.

I first engaged Taylor Knights architects to design my office. The neat, clean and streamlined design impressed me. So, I decided to engage them again for our home extension. My family wanted something modern, different, integrates well with our existing home and surroundings, has lots of storage space, and is within our budget. I was impressed again that they manage to deliver a design that is functional and even exceeded our expectation. For example we get plenty of storage space through clever use of internal and external seating benches, so we have both space and seats. The look and feel of the extension is again simple, clean and modern as per our brief, yet conveys a warm and inviting atmosphere at the same time. We are very pleased with the teamwork shown by the architects and their attention to detail. Without these important aspects, the result would not have been possible.

I hired Taylor Knights after seeing some of the work they'd completed at a previous practice. The guys were so helpful and easy to work with, they're involved every step of the way and don't mind explaining the technical aspects that went over my head! I had a very small block of land and the way they used the light meant the completed house has amazing light!

I recently designed a front and rear landscape for a Balaclava project designed by Taylor Knights. I saw the house before the major renovation which was a fairly standard Edwardian with little space to extend beyond the existing footprint without diminishing the much needed outdoor areas. I thought this would be tough to achieve anything special. How wrong I was! Not only have they created extremely livable and open interior spaces filled with light, plus a private upstairs suite but it’s their considered choices using off the shelf cost effective materials in unexpected ways, that sets these guys apart. Wainscoting and standard pegboard by way of example, become jewels when handled with such care and without blowing the budget. Sure, there are some architectural tricks you’d expect from a young architectural firm, but they don’t take over and create unique textures that are very easy to live with. For me, the test of great design is when you look at the finished project and if you are not too sure what year it was completed then that’s a mark of great architects. They have achieved a ‘timeless’ outcome, which takes real skill and is why I would highly recommend Taylor Knights for a renovation or new residential build. Andrew Plymin Andrew Plymin Garden Spaces.